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Xen
Xen (pronounced "zen") is the Borderworld, a plane of existence connecting two or more dimensions (which Xen can be referred to as). It is the final retreat of Nihilanth's race and a place where the Xen Aliens reside. Overview Rather than being a planet or an artificial structure such as a space station, all of the locations of Xen are on the surfaces of (or within) asteroid-like "islands" floating within a nebular void. Xen is notable for having greatly reduced gravity compared to Earth's; however, given that Xen is composed of low mass asteroids, it is surprising that there is any appreciable gravitational pull at all, let alone a pull strong enough to retain the atmosphere breathable for humans encountered there. It is possible that, given that Xen resides in another dimension or universe, the entire void contains a breathable atmosphere. Another feature is that gravity is always directed downwards, rather than towards the asteroids, so that one can actually fall off an asteroid into the void below. Light behaves oddly in Xen. Looking at the different skybox textures, there are multiple sources for light in the border world, either through glowing clouds of gas or (in some cases) what seems to be a star or some other stellar body. Ecosystem The Xen asteroids are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, forming a complex ecosystem. No living organisms are native to Xen, so all species present must have originated from somewhere else. While mostly seen as lifeless, the presence of water (reddish-green in color) indicates that the dimension is capable of supporting life. Some species, such as Barnacles, Bullsquid, Headcrabs, and Houndeyes appear to occupy niches similar to various carnivorous terrestrial animals (albeit with unusual anatomical or physiological features). However, even these creatures are dwarfed by the towering six meters high, four-legged invertebrate known as the Gonarch, being somehow connected with Headcrabs. Seen frequently in Xen (and occasionally in Black Mesa, where they transport Alien Grunts), Alien Aircraft glide seemingly without effort through the void. It is uncertain whether these ray-like beings are living creatures or examples of war machines built around advanced biotechnology (such as those used by the Combine). Boids can be seen flying in flocks, emitting resonant calls. The intelligent species of Xen, such as the Alien Controllers and Vortigaunts, form part of an advanced alien civilization, with species like the Alien Grunts and Gargantua, composing their military. This civilization is controlled by a central intelligence, the Nihilanth. Although differing in many ways, the Controllers, Vortigaunts, Grunts, and the Nihilanth share a common morphology that includes a vestigial third limb in the middle of the thorax, suggesting that they are all closely related. A few creatures that appear in Xen are difficult to categorize as either fauna or flora due to their unusual appearance. Stationary bio-luminescent stalks appear in large numbers throughout Xen and will retract when approached. The much larger and extremely aggressive (but rarely encountered) Tentacles pose a major hazard to those who wander near their pits. There are also bizarre tree-like structures dotted around the landscape, which may be juvenile or even separate species of Tentacle. The "trees" sway gently and appear harmless when observed from a distance, but stab viciously at any creature that enters their immediate vicinity. There are also strange trampoline-like plants seen in Black Mesa and Xen that release a blast of air when stepped on. A similar kind was seen on Xen which opens and closes, releasing a gust of air like a vent. Colonization and civilization After the Combine took over the Xen residents' former world, the fleeing aliens retreated to Xen via teleportation and colonized Xen with their buildings and technology (also bringing with them invasive wild-life and pests). The buildings for the Vortigaunts were primitive and lacked luxury or necessary needs of survival (besides the healing pool in the back) due to their social class as slaves. The Vortigaunt's buildings look like small hills carved by an unknown tool. The military castes live in an industrialized, floral Xen Base. The Nihilanth has its own personal chamber which is heavily defended by Vortigaunts and Alien Controllers.